"You know, every year we have the same goals we've always had, and the same goals we always will have, which is to help creators produce their best work, without interference, and publish the absolute best comics we can," the publisher told Comic Book Resources.

"Everything we've ever achieved at Image is the result of accomplishing that goal, and that will never change, but I also have to say - I always laugh when I see a publisher bragging about being number four or hoping to eventually be number five or number three. We all work our asses off here, day in and day out, all year round, and that's not because we're trying to come in third place.

"We want to be number one. It may take time, years even, but we're playing the long game here and every single day, more and more people are catching on to the fact that we're not just doing something right, but doing it better than everyone else."

The next Image Expo will be held on January 9 in San Francisco to showcase the latest releases from the publisher.